Explosion at Iranian Port Linked to Supreme Leader's Charity Organization
Breaking: Deadly Explosion at Iranian Port Linked to Supreme Leader's Foundation
A catastrophic explosion in Iran's Shahid Rajaei port near Bandar Abbas has claimed at least 70 lives and injured over 1,000 people. The epicenter of the blast appears to have been a facility owned by the Bonyad Mostazafan, a charitable foundation overseen by the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
This foundation, under American sanctions, is believed to aid Khamenei in enriching his office, rewarding political allies, and persecuting regime enemies according to the U.S. Treasury. Its top personnel also have ties to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile arsenal and overseas operations targeting its enemies.
The cause of the blast remains undisclosed by authorities, though it occurred Saturday at a port reportedly handling a chemical component necessary for solid fuel for ballistic missiles. Authorities deny this claim, but local reports indicate a mysterious, highly explosive cargo may have been delivered there.
Andrea Sella, a professor of chemistry at University College London, finds the cargo's proximity to the port's warehousing area perplexing. "It's clearly nuts," he stated.
Bonyads hold significant economic power in Iran. They took root during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's rule and were managed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Bonyad Mostazafan, the largest in the country by assets, is believed to represent 10% of Iran's GDP according to a 2008 U.S. Congressional Research Service report.
The epicenter of the explosion struck next to Sina's terminal at the port, causing extensive damage and shredding containers nearby. Late Sunday, Sina's CEO said there had been false statements regarding the cargo, calling it "very dangerous." Access to the site has been restricted by authorities since the blast.
Bonyad Mostazafan has ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard since its creation. Its president, Hossein Dehghan, reached the rank of general in the Guard and serves as a military adviser to Khamenei. The U.S. Treasury describes the foundation as a 'money box' for senior IRGC commanders and accuses it of funding terrorist activities.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on China and Iran over the transshipment of sodium perchlorate and dioctyl sebacate to the Islamic Republic, with one individual from an Iranian firm being linked to the Guard.
However, Iranian authorities deny any involvement of military cargo in the explosion, attributing it to human error and negligence. The nature of the chemical cargo involved in the blast remains uncertain, raising questions about its connection to Iran's military activities, particularly its ballistic missile program.
- The Bonyad Mostazafan, a foundation under American sanctions, holds significant economic power in Iran and is believed to represent 10% of Iran's GDP.
- The epicenter of the explosion struck next to Sina's terminal at the port, causing extensive damage and raising questions about the nature of the chemical cargo involved in the blast.
- Andrea Sella, a professor of chemistry at University College London, found the cargo's proximity to the port's warehousing area perplexing, stating it was clearly surprising.
- The U.S. Treasury accuses Bonyad Mostazafan of funding terrorist activities and describes it as a 'money box' for senior IRGC commanders, while also imposing sanctions on China and Iran over the transshipment of certain materials to the Islamic Republic.
